Invalid handling apparatus



July 25, 1950 H. D. COLE 2,516,553

./ INVALID HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 23, 1946 IN VEN TOR. V ,////77J/7 Q Co/e ATTORNE Patented July 25, 1950 INvALinHANnLING APrARA'rUs Y Herman D. Cole, err-am, Kane. k r 7 Application December 23, 1946, Serial No; 711,909:

2, Claims (Orie -gee); I I j This invention relates to devices particularly useful in hospitals and the like and has to'do more specifically with handling apparatus for facilitating the movement of patients incapable of self-motivation when such movement becomes necessary, as in transfer of the patient from bed to bed or other reasons.

The primary aim of this invention is to provide an invalid handling apparatus of the hoist or winch type wherein a specially formed frame is provided to straddle the bed of the invalid, and

elevating means having an uniquely designed harness for the invalid is operably attached directly to and movable with the said bedstraddling framework.

An important aim of this invention is the provision of an invalid handling apparatus having a pair of spaced-apart, interconnected, vertical frame members provided with casters for easy shiftability, and having a cable and pulley assembly and a cable-coiling, rotatable drum, all fixed to and movable with the frame to the end that the invalid may be raised from one resting place, moved to a remote point in the room or building, and then lowered to a new position when such movement of the patient becomes necessary or is desired.

Other aims include the manner of forming a particularly useful and eillcient harness for attachment on the body of the patient; and the way in which the elevating mechanism, including the harness connected thereto is centrally disposed to present the maximum ease of operation and balance when placed in use.

Additional aims will be made clear or becom apparent during the course of the following specification referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of an invalid handling apparatus made in accordance with my present invention; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the rotatable drum and lever assembly.

In the drawing, a pair of U-shaped frame members of identical nature and indicated by the numerals Ill and l2, are vertically disposed and held in spaced-apart relation by a number of cross-bars 14. One of these cross-bars I4 having a centrally disposed pulley l6 thereon is a substantially central member joining members l9 and i2, and another of the cross-bars l4 immediately therebelow on one side of members I!) and I2 carries a similar, centrally mounted pulley l8.

A cable threaded through pulleys l6 and I8 has one end thereof fixedto a. harness generally designated by the numeral; 22-, andaits, opposite end coiled about-a drum- 24. Thisdrum 24 is ,ro-, tatably supported. by brackets 26 and 28. which are in'turn-mounted ona, panel,3ll by bolts and nut assemblies :or analagous means 32. .Panel 36 spans. the distancebetweenmembers I U and 12 alon one side thereof between cross-bar l4, having/pulley lliwthereon and the lowermost crossbarl lon the said one side of members Ill and I2, and is welded or otherwise affixed to these members as at 34.

A gear housing 36 on bracket 28 has the conventional gear and worm gear assembly therein,

the gear being connected to the drum 24 and the worm gear being attached to a lever 38. These gears are not shown in the drawing, but it is well known that manipulation of lever 36 will rotate drum 24 to wind and unwind cable 20 for the purpose about to be described.

Harness 22 consists of a band 40 made from leather or other relatively strong flexible material and adapted to encircle the waist of the patient, whereupon buckle 42 is used to hold the same in place. The free end of cable 20 is attached to band 46 through the medium of a bracket 44 secured directly to band 40.

Depending from band 40 is a U-shaped yoke 46, also of flexible material and having a coating of relatively soft material 48 for increasing the comfort to the wearer. One end of this yoke 46 is riveted as at 50 to band 40, and if desired, additional stitching may be used to add strength at this connection. A buckle 5| serves to releasably join the opposite end of yoke 46 to band 46 in diametrically opposed relation to rivets 50.

Yoke 46 is preferably disposed at right angles to bracket 44 and cable 20 to the end that the same may be placed in a position where the bight thereof underlies the legs of the invalid as band 46 is placed about his waist, and cable 20 is disposed near his back. When the entire structure is moved to a position straddling the bed of the patient and harness 22 attached as described, manual manipulation of lever 38 will wind cable 26 about drum 24 and elevate the patient to a position where movement to another bed or another point in the room is possible.

Casters 52 on the free ends of each leg of both members I 0 and I2 make such movement possible, whereupon the patient is again lowered and the harness 20 removed.

Manifestly the construction just described presents an extremely sturdy assembly that is light in weight and may be made almost entirely from silver-plated tubing to present an attractive and inexpensive piece of equipment for hospital and invalid home use generally.

1 It is understood that apparatus for handling infants may be made which embody different forms of construction and arrangement, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claims.

Havingsthus r described the invention, what isclaimedas newsand-desined to he secured 'by' laet- 'ters Patent is:

1. An invalid handling apparatus of the kind described comprising a pair of spaced-apart, substantially U-shaped frame members adapted toe straddle a bed or the like; a plurality .Qf cross,- bars interconnecting said frame members; and

manually manipulable structure. on. certain 50f" said cross-bars having means of attachment .to

an invalid for raising and lowering said invalid to and from predetermined positions above the bed; said attaching means compr-ising a harness havingjva "belt for -;encircling the waist ofsaid invalid,;-and a'yoke member depending from' said band for underlying'the legs'ofthe invalid, said belt having a releasable-buckle' fof holding the belt attached tothe waistof the invalid;

2. f-An invalid handling apparatus 'of the hind described -comprising.a;pair ofspacedeaparnsubstantially U-shape'd' vertical jframe -menibers bars having a pulley thereon being on a substanadapte'd toqstraddlea bedor-the" like :a plurality 30 tially central, vertical plane joining the frame =membeas.

HERMAN D. COLE.

.REE'ERENCES CITED Ines-following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED-STATES *PATENTS- Number Name Date 11738358 Cottman DecJIO, 1929 215878385 Leavitt' Sept. 20, 1932 f2;035;1i 6, Elmick l-Mar; 24; I 1936 5224375178 Ames Mar. 16,1948

FOREIGNPATENTS Number Gountny l Date 5515;311 France June28,:1923 

